Mothers bringing an end to murder and violence

A discussion about ending murder and violence, was from the unique and powerful point of view of the mother.

WMAR

A Friday night discussion all about ending murder and violence, was from the unique and powerful point of view of the mother.

Daphne Alston said she's afraid people are accepting a high murder rate as a way of life.

When she talks to young men, just like her son Tariq who was killed in 2008, she's shocked by what they tell her.

"They say well we know we're going to die, we're just going to live life to the fullest. A child shouldn't feel that way," Alston said.

That is one of the reasons she co-founded Mothers of Murdered Sons and Daughters of Maryland with Mildred Samy.

"We are technically at war here in America," Samy, who lost her son in 2007, said.

"It's painful and it's a shame that there needs to be an organization like Mothers of Murdered Sons and Daughters of Maryland, but so often when these parents suffer losses, they have this feeling initially that they're alone. So by going to visit them, we let them know that they are not alone and to join this fight to end violence," Samy said.

Samy said the past few weeks have been especially tough as they've seen multiple young men laid to rest, including 14 year old Najee Thomas.

They don't want it to, but their group keeps growing.

They are hoping the work they do, and coming out for events like Friday night's 'Mother to Mother' Town Hall Meeting will help by bringing like-minded people who are looking for the same outcome together.

"When there is murder after murder, it makes people often feel stuck and stuck in the trauma and so we're able to do something positive with that pain to help people transform that pain into making sure people's lives aren't just being wasted in the streets in vain," Erricka Bridgeford, Community Activist, said.

Bridgeford lost her brother to street violence in 2007.

All three women agree that getting people involved and understanding they can change things is key.

"I think it's really important that when people have a voice and they see that their voice actually means something and it actually changes things then it inspires them to tell other people that they need to get involved as well," Bridgeford said.